U.S. patent application number 13/474359 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-22 for electrical coaxial connector.
This patent application is currently assigned to DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Akio FUNAHASHI.
Application Number | 20120295477 13/474359 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46062150 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120295477 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FUNAHASHI; Akio |
November 22, 2012 |
ELECTRICAL COAXIAL CONNECTOR
Abstract
Coaxial connector comprising a signal contact member having a
connecting terminal portion and a contacting terminal portion, a
grounding contact member having an annular engaging portion for
engaging with an outer contact member of a mating coaxial connector
and a shell portion extending from the annular engaging portion to
be connected with an outer conductor of a coaxial cable, and a
housing for supporting the signal contact member and the grounding
contact member. The connecting terminal portion of the signal
contact member is positioned at the outside of the annular engaging
portion of the grounding contact member to be connected with a core
conductor of the coaxial cable and the contacting terminal portion
of the signal contact member is positioned at the inside of the
annular engaging portion of the grounding contact member for coming
into contact with a central contact member of the mating coaxial
connector.
Inventors: |
FUNAHASHI; Akio; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Assignee: |
DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.
Kyoto
JP
|
Family ID: |
46062150 |
Appl. No.: |
13/474359 |
Filed: |
May 17, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/578 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 24/545 20130101;
H01R 2103/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/578 |
International
Class: |
H01R 9/05 20060101
H01R009/05 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 17, 2011 |
JP |
2011-110083 |
Claims
1. An electrical coaxial connector comprising; a signal contact
member having a connecting terminal portion with which a core
conductor of a coaxial cable is to be connected and a contacting
terminal portion for coming into contact with a central contact
member of a mating coaxial connector fixed to a circuit board, a
grounding contact member having an annular engaging portion for
engaging with an outer contact member of the mating coaxial
connector provided for surrounding the central contact member of
the mating coaxial connector to be connected with the same and a
shell portion extending from the annular engaging portion to be
connected with an outer conductor of the coaxial cable, and a
housing made of insulator for supporting the signal contact member
and the grounding contact member in such a manner that the signal
contact member and the grounding contact member are insulated from
each other and having a bending press-contact portion extending to
be bendable along the shell portion of the grounding contact member
and operative to be bent with the shell portion of the grounding
contact member for coming into press-contact with the signal
contact member, wherein the contacting terminal portion of the
signal contact member is positioned at the inside of the annular
engaging portion of the grounding contact member and the connecting
terminal portion of the signal contact member is positioned at the
outside of the annular engaging portion of the grounding contact
member to have a stationary part fixed to the housing and a movable
part provided to be shiftable in regard to the stationary part, and
wherein the movable part of the connecting terminal portion of the
signal contact member is pressed by the bending press-contact
portion of the housing to shift toward the stationary part of the
connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member so that
the core conductor of the coaxial cable is held tightly between the
stationary part and the movable part of the connecting terminal
portion of the signal contact member to be connected with the
connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member when the
bending press-contact portion of the housing is caused to come into
press-contact with the signal contact member.
2. An electrical coaxial connector according to claim 1, wherein
the movable part of the connecting terminal portion of the signal
contact member is operative to shift toward the stationary part of
the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member, on
which the core conductor of the coaxial cable is put, so that the
core conductor of the coaxial cable is held tightly between the
stationary part and the movable part of the connecting terminal
portion of the signal contact member.
3. An electrical coaxial connector according to claim 1, wherein a
couple of openings are formed respectively on the stationary part
of the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member and
a portion of the housing corresponding to the stationary part of
the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member to be
positioned to correspond to each other, so that a condition wherein
the core conductor of the coaxial cable is connected with the
connecting terminal portion of the signal contacting member is able
be confirmed by visual observation through the openings.
4. An electrical coaxial connector according to claim 1, wherein
the signal contacting member has a flat connecting portion for
connecting the contacting terminal portion with the connecting
terminal portion, and each of the contacting terminal portion and
the connecting terminal portion projects from the flat connecting
portion in the same direction when the core conductor of the
coaxial cable is connected with the connecting terminal portion of
the signal contact member.
5. An electrical coaxial connector according to claim 1, wherein
the grounding contact member has a housing-receiving portion
extending from the annular engaging portion for engaging with a
portion of the housing positioned in the vicinity of the connecting
terminal portion of the signal contact member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to an electrical
coaxial connector, and more particularly to an improvement in an
electrical coaxial connector which has a signal contact member and
a grounding contact member insulated from each other to be
connected respectively with a core conductor and an outer conductor
insulated from each other of a coaxial cable provided with an
internal insulator put between the core conductor and the outer
conductor for surrounding the core conductor and an external
insulator for surrounding the outer conductor, and is used to be
coupled with a mating coaxial connector fixed, for example, to a
circuit board.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art Including Information
Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
[0004] There has been often utilized a coaxial cable having a core
conductor, an outer conductor, an internal insulator put between
the core conductor and the outer conductor for surrounding the core
conductor and an external insulator for surrounding the outer
conductor for transmitting high-frequency signals between
electrical parts, electric equipments or electronic apparatus. The
high-frequency signal transmitted through the coaxial cable is put
in a condition of electro-magnetic shield so as to be inactive to
leak out from the core conductor or to prevent noises from mixing
thereinto from the outside. For example, the coaxial cable is
connected with a circuit board on which high frequency signals are
dealt with and the high frequency signal is transmitted through the
coaxial cable from the circuit board to the outside or from the
outside to the circuit board under the condition of
electro-magnetic shield.
[0005] For connecting the coaxial cable with the circuit board, an
electrical coaxial connector is connected with an end of the
coaxial cable to be coupled with a mating coaxial connector fixed
to the circuit board. The electrical coaxial connector connected
with the end of the coaxial cable (hereinafter, referred to as a
coaxial cable connector) has a signal contact member with which the
core conductor of the coaxial cable is connected and a grounding
contact member with which the outer conductor of the coaxial cable
is connected. The mating coaxial connector has a central contact
member to which the high-frequency signal dealt with on the circuit
board is supplied and an outer contact member provided for
surrounding the central contact member to be supplied with a ground
potential. When the coaxial cable connector is coupled with the
mating coaxial connector on the circuit board, the grounding
contact member of the coaxial cable connector engages with the
outer contact member of the mating coaxial connector to be
electrically connected with the same and the signal contact member
of the coaxial cable connector comes into press-contact with the
central contact member of the mating coaxial connector to be
electrically connected with the same.
[0006] For such a coupling of the coaxial cable connector with the
mating coaxial connector as mentioned above, the mating coaxial
connector is fixed to the circuit board with the central contact
member and the outer contact member surrounding the central contact
member each facing upward on a parts-mountable surface of the
circuit board on which various electrical or electronic parts are
mounted, so that the coaxial cable connector is moved downward
toward the parts-mountable surface of the circuit board to be
coupled with the mating coaxial connector in such a manner that the
grounding contact member of the coaxial cable connector is engaged
with the outer contact member of the mating coaxial connector and
the signal contact member of the coaxial cable connector is put in
press-contact with the central contact member of the mating coaxial
connector. Accordingly, the coaxial cable connector coupled with
the mating coaxial connector which is fixed to the circuit board is
postured to project from the parts-mountable surface of the circuit
board with a predetermined measure of thickness in a direction
perpendicular to the parts-mountable surface of the circuit
board.
[0007] There has been previously proposed one of various types of
electrical coaxial connectors, with which a signal contact member
is not required for connection with a core conductor of a coaxial
cable to be soldered with the core conductor of the coaxial cable
so that the electrical coaxial connector is able to be connected
easily and appropriately with the end of the coaxial cable, as
disclosed in, for example, the Japanese patent application
published before examination under publication number 2002-324636
(hereinafter, referred to as published patent document 1).
[0008] The previously proposed electrical coaxial connector
disclosed in the published patent document 1 comprises a shell (a
grounding contact) having an annular engaging portion and a
shell-bending portion extending from the annular engaging portion,
a connecting terminal member (a signal contact member) having a
stationary contact portion and a movable contact portion and a pair
of engaging portions each extending from the stationary contact
portion, and an insulating member (a housing made of insulator)
having a bending portion to be put between the connecting terminal
member and the shell. The connecting terminal member is supported
by the insulating member and the insulating member is supported by
the shell. The stationary contact portion and the movable contact
portion extending from the stationary contact portion of the
connecting terminal member are so positioned in regard to the
annular engaging portion of the shell that the engaging portions
extending from the stationary contact portion are surrounded by the
annular engaging portion of the shell.
[0009] When the electrical coaxial connector proposed previously as
mentioned above is connected with the end portion of the coaxial
cable to constituting a coaxial cable connector, the core conductor
of the coaxial cable is positioned to be correspond to the
stationary contact portion of the connecting terminal member, and
the movable contact portion of the connecting terminal member, the
bending portion of the insulating member and the shell-bending
portion of the shell are piled up on the core conductor of the
coaxial cable, so that the core conductor of the coaxial cable is
put between the stationary contact portion of the connecting
terminal member and the movable contact portion of the connecting
terminal member to be fixed to and connected with the connecting
terminal member and the shell-bending portion of the shell is
connected with the outer conductor of the coaxial cable. Then, the
coaxial cable connector, that is, the previously proposed
electrical coaxial connector disclosed in the published patent
document 1 and connected with the end of the coaxial cable, is
coupled with a mating coaxial connector fixed to a circuit board,
which has a central contact member and an outer contact member
surrounding the central contact. In the coaxial cable connector
coupled with the mating coaxial connector, the annular engaging
portion of the shell is put in engagement with the outer contact
member of the mating coaxial connector and the engaging portions
extending from the stationary contact portion of the connecting
terminal member is put in press-contact with the central contact
member of the mating coaxial connector.
[0010] When the previously proposed electrical coaxial connector
disclosed in the published patent document 1 is connected with the
end of the coaxial cable so as to constitute the coaxial cable
connector and coupled with the mating coaxial connector fixed to
the circuit board, the core conductor of the coaxial cable
connected with the connecting terminal member which has the
engaging portions extending from the stationary contact portion and
positioned to be surrounded by the annular engaging portion of the
shell, is put between the stationary contact portion of the
connecting terminal member and the movable contact portion of the
connecting terminal member. On that occasion, the stationary and
movable contacts of the connecting terminal member and the core
conductor of the coaxial cable put between the stationary and
movable contacts of the connecting terminal member so as to be
fixed to and connected with the connecting terminal member are
positioned to be piled up on the central contact member of the
mating coaxial connector at the inside of the annular engaging
portion of the shell. Thereby, the electrical coaxial connector
previously proposed for constituting the coaxial cable connector,
as disclosed in the published patent document 1, is to be designed
to have a measure of thickness thereof on the circuit board to
which the mating coaxial connector is fixed, which is increased in
a direction perpendicular to the circuit board.
[0011] Accordingly, there has been also proposed another electrical
coaxial connector in which a measure of thickness thereof on a
circuit board to which a mating coaxial connector is fixed is
reduced in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board by means
of making an improvement in a position where a core conductor of a
coaxial cable is connected with a signal contact member of the
electrical coaxial connector, as disclosed in, for example, the
Japanese patent application published before examination under
publication number 2006-179409 (hereinafter, referred to as
published patent document 2).
[0012] The previously proposed electrical coaxial connector
disclosed in the published patent document 2 comprises a metallic
shell (a grounding contact member) which has an annular engaging
portion, a tongue portion extending from the annular engaging
portion and a plurality of pairs of caulking portions formed on the
tongue portion, a signal contact member (a contact member) which
has a pair of plug connecting terminal portions positioned at the
inside of the annular engaging portion of the metallic shell and a
pair of cable connecting terminal portions positioned at the
outside of the annular engaging portion of the metallic shell, and
a housing made of insulator (a insulating housing member) which has
a pair of bending portions between which the cable connecting
terminal portions of the signal contact are put and is positioned
between the signal contact member and the metallic shell. The
signal contact member is supported by the housing and the housing
is supported by the metallic shell. The cable connecting terminal
portions of the signal contact member are positioned to be opposite
to each other and the bending portions of the housing are
positioned also to be opposite to each other in the same direction
as the cable connecting terminal portions of the signal contact
member. Each pair of caulking portions formed on the tongue portion
of the metallic shell are positioned to be opposite to each other
with the bending portions of the housing between.
[0013] When the electrical coaxial connector proposed previously as
disclosed in the published patent document 2 is connected with an
end portion of a coaxial cable to constituting a coaxial cable
connector, a core conductor of the coaxial cable is put between the
cable connecting terminal portions of the signal contact member
positioned at the outside of the annular engaging portion of the
metallic shell. Then, each of the caulking portions formed on the
tongue portion of the metallic shell to constitute one of the pairs
of the caulking portions is bent inside so that the bending
portions of the housing are pushed respectively by the caulking
portions formed on the tongue portion of the metallic shell to be
shifted in its position. Thereby, the cable connecting terminal
portions of the signal contact member is moved to approach each
other and the core conductor of the coaxial cable is held tightly
by the cable connecting terminal portions of the signal contact
member to be connected with the signal contact member. Further,
each of the caulking portions formed on the tongue portion of the
metallic shell to constitute another one of the pairs of the
caulking portions is bent inside so that the tongue portion of the
metallic shell is connected with an outer conductor of the coaxial
cable.
[0014] Then, the coaxial cable connector, that is, the electrical
coaxial connector proposed previously as disclosed in the published
patent document 2 and connected with the end of the coaxial cable,
is coupled with a mating coaxial connector fixed to a circuit
board, which has a central contact member and an outer contact
member surrounding the central contact member. In the coaxial cable
connector coupled with the mating coaxial connector, the annular
engaging portion of the shell is put in engagement with the outer
contact member of the mating coaxial connector and the plug
connecting terminal portions positioned at the inside of the
annular engaging portion of the metallic shell are put in
press-contact with the central contact member of the mating coaxial
connector.
[0015] The cable connecting terminal portions of the signal contact
member are operative to approach each other in a direction
perpendicular to a direction along which the annular engaging
portion of the metallic shell is moved to engage with the outer
contact member of the mating coaxial connector and the bending
portions of the housing are operative also to approach each other
in the direction perpendicular to the direction along which the
annular engaging portion of the metallic shell is moved to engage
with the outer contact member of the mating coaxial connector.
[0016] In the coaxial cable connector thus constituted with the
previously proposed electrical coaxial connector as disclosed in
the published patent document 2 and coupled with the mating coaxial
connector fixed to the circuit board, the core conductor of the
coaxial cable connected with the signal contact member is put
tightly between the cable connecting terminal portions of the
signal contact member positioned at the outside of the annular
engaging portion of the metallic shell so as to be connected with
the signal contact member, so that the cable connecting terminal
portions of the signal contact member and the central conductor of
the coaxial cable held tightly by the cable connecting terminal
portions of the signal contact member are not positioned to be
piled up on the central contact member of the mating coaxial
connector at the inside of the annular engaging portion of the
metallic shell. As a result, the electrical coaxial connector
previously proposed for constituting the coaxial cable connector,
as disclosed in the published patent document 2, is able to be
designed to have a measure of thickness thereof on the circuit
board to which the mating coaxial connector is fixed, which is
reduced in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board.
[0017] In the electrical coaxial connector proposed previously as
disclosed in the published patent document 2, it is advantageous
that the signal contact member is not required for connection with
the core conductor of the coaxial cable to be soldered with the
core conductor of the coaxial cable and the measure of thickness of
the electrical coaxial connector on the circuit board to which the
mating coaxial connector is fixed can be reduced in the direction
perpendicular to the circuit board, On the other hand, the
previously proposed electrical coaxial connector is accompanied
with a disadvantage that the housing made of insulator becomes
complicated in structure.
[0018] That is, the housing of the previously proposed electrical
coaxial connector is required to have the bending portions
operative to be opposite to each other with the cable connecting
terminal portions of the signal contact member between. In
addition, the bending portions of the housing are required to be
opposite to each other in the direction perpendicular to the
direction along which the annular engaging portion of the metallic
shell is moved to engage with the outer contact member of the
mating coaxial connector fixed on the circuit board and required
further to be pushed by the caulking portions formed on the tongue
portion of the metallic shell for moving the cable connecting
terminal portions of the signal contact member to approach each
other when each of the caulking portions formed on the tongue
portion of the metallic shell is bent inside. Accordingly, the
housing is complicated in its structure so as to require much time
for production and assembly thereof and a production cost of the
electrical coaxial connector is increased due to the housing.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide an electrical coaxial connector used to be coupled with a
mating coaxial connector fixed to a circuit board, which comprises
a signal contact member with which a core conductor of a coaxial
cable is to be connected, a grounding contact member with which an
outer conductor of the coaxial cable is to be connected, and a
housing made of insulator for supporting the signal contact member
and the grounding contact member in such a manner that the signal
contact member and the grounding contact member are insulated from
each other, and which avoids the aforementioned problems and
disadvantages encountered with the prior art.
[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide an
electrical coaxial connector used to be coupled with a mating
coaxial connector fixed to a circuit board, which comprises a
signal contact member with which a core conductor of a coaxial
cable is to be connected, a grounding contact member with which an
outer conductor of the coaxial cable is to be connected, and a
housing made of insulator for supporting the signal contact member
and the grounding contact member in such a manner that the signal
contact member and the grounding contact member are insulated from
each other, and in which the signal contact member is not required
for sure and reliable connection with the core conductor of the
coaxial cable to be soldered with the core conductor of the coaxial
cable.
[0021] A further object of the present invention is to provide an
electrical coaxial connector used to be coupled with a mating
coaxial connector fixed to a circuit board, which comprises a
signal contact member with which a core conductor of a coaxial
cable is to be connected, a grounding contact member with which an
outer conductor of the coaxial cable is to be connected, and a
housing made of insulator for supporting the signal contact member
and the grounding contact member in such a manner that the signal
contact member and the grounding contact member are insulated from
each other, and with which a measure of thickness of the electrical
coaxial connector on the circuit board to which the mating coaxial
connector is fixed can be reduced in a direction perpendicular to
the circuit board without complicating the housing in its structure
under a situation wherein the electrical coaxial connector is
coupled with the mating coaxial connector.
[0022] According to the present invention, as claimed in any one of
accompanying claims, there is provided an electrical coaxial
connector used to be coupled with a mating coaxial connector fixed
to a circuit board, which comprises a signal contact member having
a connecting terminal portion with which a core conductor of a
coaxial cable is to be connected and a contacting terminal portion
for coming into contact with a central contact member of the mating
coaxial connector, a grounding contact member having an annular
engaging portion for engaging with an outer contact member of the
mating coaxial connector provided for surrounding the central
contact member to be connected with the same and a shell portion
extending from the annular engaging portion to be connected with an
outer conductor of the coaxial cable, and a housing made of
insulator for supporting the signal contact member and the
grounding contact member in such a manner that the signal contact
member and the grounding contact member are insulated from each
other and having a bending press-contact portion extending to be
bendable along the shell portion of the grounding contact member
and operative to be bent with the shell portion for coming into
press-contact with the signal contact member, wherein the
contacting terminal portion of the signal contact member is
positioned at the inside of the annular engaging portion of the
grounding contact member and the connecting terminal portion of the
signal contact member is positioned at the outside of the annular
engaging portion of the grounding contact member to have a
stationary part fixed to the housing and a movable part provided to
be shiftable in regard to the stationary part, and the movable part
of the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member is
pressed by the bending press-contact portion of the housing to
shift toward the stationary part of the connecting terminal portion
of the signal contact member so that the core conductor of the
coaxial cable is held tightly between the stationary part and the
movable part of the connecting terminal portion of the signal
contact member to be connected with the connecting terminal portion
of the signal contact member when the bending press-contact portion
of the housing is caused to come into press-contact with the signal
contact member.
[0023] In one embodiment of electrical coaxial connector according
to the present invention, the grounding contact member has further
a housing-receiving portion extending from the annular engaging
portion for engaging with a portion of the housing placed at the
vicinity of the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact
member in addition to the annular engaging portion and the shell
portion.
[0024] In the electrical coaxial connector thus constituted in
accordance with the present invention, the core conductor of the
coaxial cable is connected with the connecting terminal portion of
the signal contact member and the outer conductor of the coaxial
cable is connected with the shell portion of the grounding contact
member under the situation wherein the contacting terminal portion
of the signal contact member is positioned at the inside of the
annular engaging portion of the grounding contact member and the
connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member is
positioned at the outside of the annular engaging portion of the
grounding contact to have the stationary part fixed to the housing
and the movable part provided to be shiftable in regard to the
stationary part, so that the electrical coaxial connector according
to the present invention is connected with the end of the coaxial
cable to constitute a coaxial cable connector. On that occasion,
for example, the core conductor of the coaxial cable is put on the
stationary part of the connecting terminal portion of the signal
contact member and then the movable part of the connecting terminal
portion of the signal contact member is pressed by the bending
press-contact portion of the housing to shift toward the stationary
part of the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact
member so that the core conductor of the coaxial cable is held
tightly between the stationary part and the movable part of the
connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member to be
connected with the connecting terminal portion of the signal
contact member.
[0025] In the coaxial cable connector which is constituted with the
electrical coaxial connector according to the present invention
connected with the end of the coaxial cable in such a manner as
described above, since the stationary part and the movable part of
the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member are
positioned at the outside of the annular engaging portion of the
grounding contact member, the core conductor of the coaxial cable
held tightly between the stationary part and the movable part of
the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member is
positioned also at the outside of the annular engaging portion of
the grounding contact member.
[0026] The coaxial cable connector thus constituted with the
electrical coaxial connector according to the present invention is,
for example, coupled with the mating coaxial connector fixed to the
circuit board with the annular engaging portion of the grounding
contact member put in engagement with the outer contact member of
the mating coaxial connector and the contacting terminal portion of
the signal contact member positioned at the inside of the annular
engaging portion of the grounding contact member put in
press-contact with the central contact member of the mating coaxial
connector. In the coaxial cable connector constituted with the
electrical coaxial connector according to the present invention and
coupled with the mating coaxial connector in such a manner as
described above, the stationary part and the movable part of the
connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member and the
core conductor of the coaxial cable held tightly between the
stationary part and the movable part of the connecting terminal
portion of the signal contact member are positioned at the outside
of the annular engaging portion of the grounding contact member so
as not to be piled up on the central contact member of the mating
coaxial connector at the inside of the annular engaging portion of
the grounding contact member.
[0027] Especially, in the embodiment of electrical coaxial
connector according to the present invention, the housing-receiving
portion extending from the annular engaging portion of the
grounding contact member engages with the portion of the housing
placed at the vicinity of the connecting terminal portion of the
signal contact member so that the housing is reinforced with the
housing-receiving portion.
[0028] With the electrical coaxial connector according to the
present invention, since the stationary part and the movable part
of the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact member and
the core conductor of the coaxial cable held tightly between the
stationary part and the movable part of the connecting terminal
portion of the signal contact member are not positioned to be piled
up on the central contact member of the mating coaxial connector at
the inside of the annular engaging portion of the grounding contact
member when the coaxial cable connector which is constituted with
the electrical coaxial connector according to the present invention
connected with the end of the coaxial cable is coupled with the
mating coaxial connector fixed to the circuit board, a measure of
thickness of the electrical coaxial connector on the circuit board
to which the mating coaxial connector is fixed can be reduced in a
direction perpendicular to the circuit board.
[0029] Further, when the core conductor of the coaxial cable is
connected with the connecting terminal portion of the signal
contact member, the bending press-contact portion of the housing is
bent with the shell portion of the grounding contact member to
press the movable part of the connecting terminal portion of the
signal contact member and thereby to cause the same to shift toward
the stationary part of the connecting terminal portion of the
signal contact member so that the core conductor of the coaxial
cable is held tightly between the stationary part and the movable
part of the connecting terminal portion of the signal contact
member. Therefore, any particular means with which the housing is
complicated in its structure is not necessary for connecting the
core conductor of the coaxial cable with the connecting terminal
portion of the signal contact member. Besides, it is not necessary
for connecting the core conductor of the coaxial cable with the
signal contact member to solder the core conductor of the coaxial
cable with the signal contact member.
[0030] As a result, with the electrical coaxial connector according
to the present invention, the signal contact member is not required
for sure and reliable connection with the core conductor of the
coaxial cable to be soldered with the core conductor of the coaxial
cable and the measure of thickness of the electrical coaxial
connector on the circuit board to which the mating coaxial
connector is fixed can be reduced in the direction perpendicular to
the circuit board without complicating the housing in its structure
under the situation wherein the coaxial cable connector which is
constituted with the electrical coaxial connector according to the
present invention connected with the end of the coaxial cable is
coupled with the mating coaxial connector fixed to the circuit
board.
[0031] Further, with the embodiment of electrical coaxial connector
according to the present invention, since the housing is reinforced
with the housing-receiving portion extending from the annular
engaging portion of the grounding contact member, it is possible to
reduce the thickness of the insulator of which the housing is made
without deteriorating a mechanical strength of the housing. This
results in a further reduction in the measure of thickness of the
electrical coaxial connector on the circuit board to which the
mating coaxial connector is fixed.
[0032] The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic plane view showing an embodiment of
electrical coaxial connector according to the present invention,
together with an end of a coaxial cable;
[0034] FIG. 2 is a schematic bottom view showing the embodiment of
electrical coaxial connector according to the present invention,
together with the end of the coaxial cable;
[0035] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross sectional view showing a cross
section taken along line III-III on FIG. 1;
[0036] FIG. 4 is a schematic top side perspective view showing an
example of a mating coaxial connector with which the embodiment of
electrical coaxial connector according to the present invention is
coupled;
[0037] FIG. 5 is a schematic top bottom side perspective view
showing the example of the mating coaxial connector with which the
embodiment of electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention is coupled;
[0038] FIG. 6 is a schematic top side perspective view showing a
housing made of insulator to be employed in the embodiment of
electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention;
[0039] FIG. 7 is a schematic bottom side perspective view showing
the housing made of insulator to be employed in the embodiment of
electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention;
[0040] FIG. 8 is a schematic bottom view showing the housing made
of insulator to be employed in the embodiment of electrical coaxial
connector according to the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 9 is a schematic top side perspective view showing a
grounding contact member provided to be employed in the embodiment
of electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention;
[0042] FIG. 10 is a schematic bottom side perspective view showing
the grounding contact member provided to be employed in the
embodiment of electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention;
[0043] FIG. 11 is a schematic side view showing a signal contact
member provided to be employed in the embodiment of electrical
coaxial connector according to the present invention;
[0044] FIG. 12 is a schematic top side perspective view showing the
signal contact member provided to be employed in the embodiment of
electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention;
[0045] FIG. 13 is a schematic bottom side perspective view showing
the signal contact member provided to be employed in the embodiment
of electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention;
[0046] FIG. 14 is a schematic top side perspective view showing the
embodiment of electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention;
[0047] FIG. 15 is a schematic bottom side perspective view showing
the embodiment of electrical coaxial connector according to the
present invention;
[0048] FIG. 16 is a schematic cross sectional view showing the
embodiment of electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention; and
[0049] FIG. 17 is a schematic cross sectional view showing the
embodiment of electrical coaxial connector according to the present
invention on the way to connection with the end of the coaxial
cable.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0050] Each of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 shows the embodiment of electrical
coaxial connector according to the present invention, together with
an end of a coaxial cable with which the embodiment is connected to
constitute a coaxial cable connector.
[0051] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an electrical coaxial connector
10, which constitutes the embodiment of electrical coaxial
connector according to the present invention, is connected with an
end of a coaxial cable 11 which has a core conductor 12, an inner
insulator 13 surrounding closely the core conductor 12, an outer
conductor 14 surrounding closely the inner insulator 13 and an
outer insulator 15 surrounding closely the outer conductor 14. At
the end of the coaxial cable 11, a part of the outer insulator 15
is cut off so that the outer conductor 14 is exposed, and a part of
the outer conductor 14 and a part of the inner insulator 13 are
further cut off so that the core conductor 12 is exposed.
[0052] The electrical coaxial connector 10 comprises a signal
contact member 20 made of conductive material to be put in contact
with the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11, a grounding
contact member 21 made of conductive material to be pit in contact
with the outer conductor 14 of the coaxial cable 11 and a housing
22 made of insulator to support the signal contact member 20 and
the grounding contact member 21 in such a manner that the signal
contact member 20 and the grounding contact member 21 are insulated
from each other.
[0053] The housing 22 has a base portion 25 having an outer side
surface 23 shaped into a circular cone and a rectangular opening 24
formed at a central portion thereof. The grounding contact member
21 has an annular engaging portion 26 surrounding the base portion
25 of the housing 22. The base portion 25 of the housing 22 and the
annular engaging portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21
constitute a connectively engaging portion of the electrical
coaxial connector 10.
[0054] The electrical coaxial connector 10 connected with the end
of the coaxial cable 11 to constitute the coaxial cable connector
is coupled with a mating coaxial connector 30 (shown in FIGS. 4 and
5 and explained later) with the connectively engaging portion
thereof operative to engage with the mating coaxial connector
30.
[0055] Each of FIGS. 4 and 5 shows the mating coaxial connector 30
with which the electrical coaxial connector 10 is coupled. The
mating coaxial connector 30 is provided with a base board 31 made
of insulating material such as plastics to be put on a surface of a
circuit board (not shown in the drawings) on which various electric
or electronic parts are mounted, so as to cause the mating coaxial
connector 30 to be fixed to the surface of the circuit board. The
base board 31 of the mating coaxial connector 30 has a bottom plane
portion 32 facing closely the surface of the circuit board on which
the base board 31 is put and a top plane portion 33 opposite to the
bottom plane portion 32. At a central portion of the base board 31,
an opening (not shown in the drawings) is formed to pass through
the bottom plane portion 32 and the top plane portion 33.
[0056] The mating coaxial connector 30 is also provide with a
signal transferring conductor 34 fixed to the base board 31. The
signal transferring conductor 34 has a central contact member 35
shaped into a column-like member to extend from the bottom plane
portion 32 through the opening formed at the central portion of the
base board 31 to the top plane portion 33, and a signal connecting
member 36 provided on the bottom plane portion 32 to extend from
the central contact member 35 to the outside of the base board 31.
The central contact member 35 is operative to be connected with the
signal contact member 20 of the electrical coaxial connector 10
coupled with the mating coaxial connector 30 and the signal
connecting member 36 is operative to be connected, for example, by
means of soldering, with a signal terminal provided on the circuit
board having the surface on which the base board 31 is put.
[0057] The mating coaxial connector 30 is further provided with an
outer contact member 37 fixed to the base board 31. The outer
contact member 37 is made of conductive material to be shaped into
an annular member for surrounding the central contact member 35 on
the top plane portion 33 of the base board 31 and provided with a
ground connecting portion 38 extending from the outer contact
member 37 through the bottom plate portion of the base board 31 to
the outside of the base board 31. The outer contact member 37 is
operative to be connected with the grounding contact member 21 of
the electrical coaxial connector 10 coupled with the mating coaxial
connector 30 in a condition wherein the annular engaging portion 26
of the grounding contact member 21 of the electrical coaxial
connector 10 engages with the outer contact member 37, and the
ground connecting portion 38 is operative to be connected, for
example, by means of soldering, with a grounding terminal provided
on the circuit board having the surface on which the base board 31
is put.
[0058] Incidentally, it is possible to fit up the signal
transferring conductor 34 having the signal contact member 20 and
the signal connecting member 36 and the outer contact member 37 to
the base board 31 by means of insert molding, for example.
[0059] As shown in each of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the housing 22 of the
electrical coaxial connector 10 has, in addition to the base
portion 25, a bending press-contact portion 40 extending from an
end of the base portion 25 to be bendable and operative to be bent
for coming into press-contact with the signal contact member 20,
and a holding portion 41 extending from the base portion 25 to hold
the signal contact member 20 and to engage with a plurality of
portions of the grounding contact member 21. The bending
press-contact portion 40 of the housing 22 is shaped in its
entirety into a flat board-like portion, and the holding portion 41
of the housing 22 is provided with an opening 42 formed at a
central part thereof and a pair of depressions 43 formed on the
bottom side thereof to be opposite to each other with the opening
42 between for receiving respectively a pair of portions of the
grounding contact member 21.
[0060] As shown in each of FIGS. 9 and 10, the grounding contact
member 21 has, in addition to the annular engaging portion 26, a
shell portion 44 extending from an end of the annular engaging
portion 26 to be bendable and operative to be bent for pressing the
bending press-contact portion 40 of the housing 22 to cause the
same to be bent and further to be connected with the outer
conductor 14 of the coaxial cable 11 having the core conductor 12
connected with the signal contact member 20, and a pair of
housing-receiving portions 45 extending from the annular engaging
portion 26 to engage respectively with the depressions 43 formed on
the holding portion 41 of the housing 22. The bending press-contact
portion 40 extends along the shell portion 44 of the grounding
contact member 21.
[0061] The shell portion 44 of the grounding contact member 21 is
provided with a pair of first bendable holding portions 46 which
are operative to be bent to approach each other for bending the
holding portion 41 of the housing 22, a pair of second bendable
holding portions 47 which are operative to be bent to approach each
other for holding the outer conductor 14 of the coaxial cable 11
having the core conductor 12 is connected with the signal contact
member 20, and a pair of third bendable holding portions 48 which
are operative to be bent to approach each other for holding the
outer insulator 15 of the coaxial cable 11 having the core
conductor 12 is connected with the signal contact member 20. Each
of the housing-receiving portions 45 of the grounding contact
member 21 is provided with a holding portion 45a which is operative
to engage with the holding portion 41 of the housing 22 for holding
the same, and thereby, each of the housing-receiving portions 45
engages stably and firmly with the holding portion 41 of the
housing 22.
[0062] As shown in each of FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, the signal contact
member 20 of the electrical coaxial connector 10 has a connecting
terminal portion 52 which comprises a stationary part 50 shaped
into a flat board-like part and fixed to the holding portion 41 of
the housing 22 and a movable part 51 shaped into a flat board-like
part and connected with the stationary part 50 to be shiftable in
regard to the stationary part 50 and with which the core conductor
12 of the coaxial cable 11 is connected, a pair of contacting
terminal portions 53 which are operative to come into contact with
the central contact member 35 of the mating coaxial connector 30
when the electrical coaxial connector 10 is coupled with the mating
coaxial connector 30, and a flat connecting portion 54 which
connects the contacting terminal portions 53 with the connecting
terminal portion 52. An opening 55 is formed at a central portion
of the stationary part 50 of the connecting terminal portion 52 so
as to be positioned to correspond to the opening 42 formed at the
central part of the holding portion 41 of the housing 22.
[0063] The signal contact member 20 thus constituted with the
connecting terminal portion 52, the contacting terminal portions 53
and the flat connecting portion 54 is formed in a body, for
example, by means of punching and bending a resilient metal thin
plate. When the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 is
connected with the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal
contact member 20, the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 is
put on the stationary part 50 of the connecting terminal portion 52
and then the bending press-contact portion 40 of the housing 22 is
caused to come into press-contact with the signal contact member 20
and thereby the movable part 51 of the connecting terminal portion
52 is pressed by the bending press-contact portion 40 of the
housing 22 to shift toward the stationary part 50 of the connecting
terminal portion 52 so that the core conductor 12 of the coaxial
cable 11 is held tightly between the stationary part 50 and the
movable part 51 of the connecting terminal portion 52.
[0064] The electrical coaxial connector 10 is assembled with the
signal contact member 20 shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the grounding
contact member 21 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, and the housing 22 shown
in FIGS. 6 to 8 provided for supporting both of the signal contact
member 20 and the grounding contact member 21 so as to cause the
signal contact member 20 and the grounding contact member 21 to be
insulated from each other, as shown in FIGS. 14, 15 and 16.
[0065] Referring to FIGS. 14 to 16, in an example of assembly of
the electrical coaxial connector 10, first, the signal contact
member 20 is fixed to the housing 22 in such a manner that the
contacting terminal portion 53 of the signal contact member 20 is
inserted into the rectangular opening 24 formed on the base portion
25 of the housing 22 and the connecting terminal portion 52 of the
signal contact member 20 is held by the holding portion 41 of the
housing 22. In the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal
contact member 20 held by the holding portion 41 of the housing 22,
the stationary part 50 thereof is fixed to the holding portion 41
of the housing 22 and the movable part 51 thereof is operative to
shift to approach or go away from the stationary part 50 fixed to
the holding portion 41 of the housing 22. When the stationary part
50 of the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact
member 20 is fixed to the holding portion 41 of the housing 22, the
opening 55 formed on the stationary part 50 is positioned to
correspond to the opening 42 formed on the holding portion 41.
[0066] Then, the grounding contact member 21 is fixed to the
housing 20 to which the signal contact member 20 is fixed. In the
housing 22 to which the grounding contact member 21 is fixed, the
base portion 25 of the housing 22 is positioned at the inside of
the annular engaging portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21
and the bending press-contact portion 40 of the housing 22 extends
from the base portion 25 of the housing 22 along the shell portion
44 of the grounding contact member 21, which extends from the
annular engaging portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21, as
shown in FIG. 16. Further, the housing-receiving portions 45
extending from the annular engaging potion 26 of the grounding
contact member 21 engages respectively with the depressions 43
formed on the bottom side of the holding portion 41 of the housing
22.
[0067] In the housing-receiving portions 45 of the grounding
contact member 21 put in engagement with the depressions 43 formed
on the bottom side of the holding portion 41 of the housing 22, the
holding portion 45a provided on each of the housing-receiving
portions 45 engages with the holding portion 41 of the housing 22
for holding the same. Thereby, each of the housing-receiving
portions 45 engages stably and firmly with the holding portion 41
of the housing 22 and the housing 22 is reinforced with the
housing-receiving portions 45.
[0068] Since the housing 22 is reinforced with the
housing-receiving portions 45 of the grounding contact member 21 as
described above, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the
insulator of which the housing 22 is made without deteriorating a
mechanical strength of the housing 22, so that a measure of
thickness of the electrical coaxial connector 10 on the surface of
the circuit board to which the mating coaxial connector 30 is fixed
can be reduced in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the
circuit board under a situation wherein the electrical coaxial
connector 10 is coupled with the mating coaxial connector 30 fixed
to the surface of the circuit board.
[0069] In the electrical coaxial connector 10 thus assembled with
the signal contact member 20 and the grounding contact member 21
supported by the housing 22, the contacting terminal portions 53 of
the signal contact member 20 are positioned at the inside of the
annular engaging portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21 and
the connecting terminal portion 52 having the stationary part 50
and the movable part 51 is positioned at the outside of the annular
engaging portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21.
[0070] When the electrical coaxial connector 10 is connected with
the end of the coaxial cable 11, the part of the outer insulator 15
is cut off so that the outer conductor 14 is exposed and each of
the part of the outer conductor 14 and the part of the inner
insulator 13 is further cut off so that the core conductor 12 is
exposed at the end of the coaxial cable 11, and then the core
conductor 12 exposed at the end of the coaxial cable 11 is put on
the stationary part 50 of the connecting terminal portion 52 of the
signal contact member 20, as shown in FIG. 17. On that occasion,
the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 is positioned between
the stationary part 50 and the movable part 51 of the connecting
terminal portion 52 so as to cover the opening 55 formed on the
stationary part 50 of the connecting terminal portion 52.
[0071] After that, the shell portion 44 of the grounding contact
member 21 is bent in a direction toward the holding portion 41 of
the housing 22 as shown with a curved arrow a in FIG. 16, together
with the bending press-contact portion 40 of the housing 22, to be
postured almost in parallel with the holding portion 41 of the
housing 22. The bending press-contact portion 40 of the housing 22
which is belt in accompany with the shell portion 44 of the
grounding contact member 21 comes into press-contact with the
movable part 51 of the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal
contact member 20 to cause the same to shift toward the stationary
part 50 of the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact
member 20 so that the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 is
held tightly between the stationary part 50 and the movable part 51
of the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member
20. Thereby, the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 is
electrically connected with the connecting terminal portion 52 of
the signal contact member 20. On that occasion, it is not necessary
to solder the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 with the
connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20.
Further, a pressure exerted on the stationary part 50 of the
connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20 is
received by the holding portion 41 of the housing 22 and the
housing-receiving portions 45 extending from the annular engaging
portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21 with sufficient
structural strength, so that deformations or the like in the
electrical coaxial connector 10 is avoided.
[0072] Each of the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal
contact member 20 and the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11
connected with the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal
contact member 20 is positioned at the outside of the annular
engaging portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21. In the
signal contact member 20 having the connecting terminal portion 52
with which the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 is
connected, each of the contacting terminal portions 53 and the
connecting terminal portion 52 projects from the flat connecting
portion 54 in the same direction toward the surface of the circuit
board on which the electrical coaxial connector 10 is fixed. These
contribute to reduction in the measure of thickness of the
electrical coaxial connector 10 on the surface of the circuit board
to which the mating coaxial connector 30 is fixed.
[0073] Finally, each pair of the first bendable holding portions
46, the second bendable holding portions 47 and the third bendable
holding portions 48 provided on the shell portion 44 of the
grounding contact member 21 are bent to approach each other so that
the holding portion 41 of the housing 22 is held by the first
bendable holding portions 46, the outer conductor 14 of the coaxial
cable 11 is held by the second bendable holding portions 47 and the
outer insulator 15 of the coaxial cable 11 is held by the third
bendable holding portions 48. As a result, the electrical coaxial
connector 10 connected with the end of the coaxial cable 11 for
constituting the coaxial cable connector as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3
is obtained.
[0074] In the situation wherein the electrical coaxial connector 10
is connected with the end of the coaxial cable 11 for constituting
the coaxial cable connector, the opening 55 formed on the
stationary part 50 of the connecting terminal portion 52 of the
signal contact member 20 is positioned to correspond to the opening
42 formed on the holding portion 41 of the housing 22 and therefore
the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 which is connected
with the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact
member 20 can be visually observed through the openings 42 and 55
from the bottom side of the holding portion 41 of the housing 22.
With such a visual observation, a condition wherein the core
conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 is correctly connected with
the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20
can be easily confirmed.
[0075] With the electrical coaxial connector 10 as described above,
since the stationary part 50 and the movable part 51 of the
connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20 and
the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 held tightly between
the stationary part 50 and the movable part 51 of the connecting
terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20 are not
positioned to be piled up on the central contact member 35 of the
mating coaxial connector 30 at the inside of the annular engaging
portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21 when the electrical
coaxial connector 10 connected with the end of the coaxial cable 11
is coupled with the mating coaxial connector 30 fixed to the
circuit board and in addition each of the contacting terminal
portions 53 and the connecting terminal portion 52 projects from
the flat connecting portion 54 in the same direction toward the
surface of the circuit board on which the electrical coaxial
connector 10 is fixed, the measure of thickness of the electrical
coaxial connector 10 on the surface of the circuit board to which
the mating coaxial connector 30 is fixed can be effectively reduced
in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the circuit
board.
[0076] Further, when the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11
is connected with the connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal
contact member 20, the bending press-contact portion 40 of the
housing 22 is bent with the shell portion 44 of the grounding
contact member 21 to press the movable part 51 of the connecting
terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20 and thereby to
cause the same to shift toward the stationary part 50 of the
connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20 so
that the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 is held tightly
between the stationary part 50 and the movable part 51 of the
connecting terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20.
Therefore, any particular means with which the housing 22 is
complicated in its structure is not necessary for connecting the
core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 with the connecting
terminal portion 52 of the signal contact member 20. Besides, it is
not necessary for connecting the core conductor 12 of the coaxial
cable 11 with the signal contact member 20 to solder the core
conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 with the signal contact member
20.
[0077] As a result, with the electrical coaxial connector 10, the
signal contact member 20 is not required for sure and reliable
connection with the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 to be
soldered with the core conductor 12 of the coaxial cable 11 and the
measure of thickness of the electrical coaxial connector 10 on the
surface of the circuit board to which the mating coaxial connector
30 is fixed can be reduced in the direction perpendicular to the
surface of the circuit board without complicating the housing 22 in
its structure under the situation wherein the coaxial cable
connector which is constituted with the electrical coaxial
connector 10 connected with the end of the coaxial cable 11 is
coupled with the mating coaxial connector 30 fixed to the circuit
board.
[0078] Further, since the housing 22 is reinforced with the
housing-receiving portions 45 extending from the annular engaging
portion 26 of the grounding contact member 21, it is possible to
reduce the thickness of the insulator of which the housing 22 is
made without deteriorating a mechanical strength of the housing 22.
This results in a further reduction in the measure of thickness of
the electrical coaxial connector 10 on the surface of the circuit
board to which the mating coaxial connector 30 is fixed.
* * * * *